''7×7 Tales of a Sevensleeper'' () is a 1985 children's book written by
Hanna Johansen.
Synopsis
Much to his brother's and parents' dismay, a boy's obsession over the habits of his favourite animals—squirrel-like creatures called "sevensleepers"—makes him pretend he is one of them.
The number seven figures in his daily routines throughout the course of 49 stories: he becomes that age early on in the book, with as many presents to match; he goes to bed every night at seven o'clock; and he even eats or owns things in groups of seven. This trait even helps him follow the week more efficiently than months or years, which are both far longer.
Publishing history
''Siebenschläfergeschichten'', the original German version of ''7×7 Tales of a Sevensleeper'', was published in 1985 by the Swiss company
Nagel & Kimche.
[ A Dutch edition, titled ''De zevenslaper'' and translated by Erna Borawitz, came out through the Christofoor imprint a year later. In the Iberian realm, the book was translated into Spanish by Lola Romero (as 1987's ''Cuentos de lirones''),][https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/22201404] and in Portuguese as ''Histórias de Sete-Sonos'' in 1991. The Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic flightless birds from the family Spheniscidae () of the order Sphenisciformes (). They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is equatorial, with a sm ...
subsidiary E. P. Dutton
E. P. Dutton was an American book publishing company. It was founded as a book retailer in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1852 by Edward Payson Dutton. Since 1986, it has been an imprint of Penguin Group.
Creator
Edward Payson Dutton (January 1, ...
released an English translation for the US market (by Christopher Franceschelli) in 1989; a British version, by Marion Koenig, appeared through Faber and Faber
Faber and Faber Limited, commonly known as Faber & Faber or simply Faber, is an independent publishing house in London. Published authors and poets include T. S. Eliot (an early Faber editor and director), W. H. Auden, C. S. Lewis, Margaret S ...
a year later.[
]
Reception
Colin Mills of Britain's ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' noted that "the writer ohansenis skilled in pithy observation" throughout the "49 witty, quirky yarns" comprising ''Tales of a Sevensleeper''. "There is word-play, good natural history," he added, "and the pictures by Kathi Bhend, some cartoon format, some intricate miniatures, are unusually integral."[ Another British publication, '' The School Librarian'', said of the book: "Despite an ambiguous opening .. it is a clever work of imagination".]Booklist
''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is ...
'': "While the whimsical prose will strike some readers as too precious, others will find its brand of imagination engaging."[ Tatiana Castleton, a Californian librarian, wrote in the '']School Library Journal
''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, wi ...
'' that this "unusual and intriguing little book snot for everyone, but made to order for lap and read-aloud sessions with the right listener." She praised Franceschelli's prose as "beautiful", and Bhend's illustrations "endlessly inventive and fascinating."[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:7 x 7 Tales Of A Sevensleeper
1985 children's books
Swiss children's novels
German-language children's books
German-language novels
20th-century Swiss novels